DVD Recorders.

[svo347]

Hi folks Ive finally made the decision to buy a DVD Recorder, as Im sick of breaking video tapes.
Can anyone here recommend a decent brand & what to look out for...
Id like one with its own hard drive tho...
And what is the difference between DVD+RW and DVD-RW??

[tango07]

buy a lite on dvd american best.

[Peuty]

In my opinion, a Panasonic DMR-E55 would be an ideal choice. Its the base spec machine, but by far the best Bang for Buck, at around $699.

It also supports DVD RAM, which is basically a high capacity DVD cartridge which can withstand scratches etc. And on long play you can get 16 hours worth off one ram disk.

Alternativly, a DMR-E85H, which is basically the E55 with an 80GB HDD, would also be ideal, as the HDD eliminates the need for a storage medium. Of course the option to record to a disk is still there.

[JADED6]

I think what you meant to ask was, "What is the difference betwen DVD-R & RW.
R can be written once (recorded on 1 time ONLY) RW discs can be erased and re-used, much like a blank tape.
The panasonic model mentioned above is a great buy.
I havent bought one yet, just watching the prices DROP, i think around christmas 2005 will be a good time to buy one.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Peuty

Alternativly, a DMR-E85H, which is basically the E55 with an 80GB HDD, would also be ideal, as the HDD eliminates the need for a storage medium. Of course the option to record to a disk is still there.

That's by far my pick. I tried 3 when I got one about a year and a half ago. Sanyo (and it couldn't keep time), LG (and you couldn't set more than 9 shows to record and it couldn't record and play at the same time) and the Panasonic I have now which is nearly the perfect choice.

That DVD recorder revolutionised the way I watch TV. I don't think I've watched an add in a year and a half. I record absolutely everything I plan to watch and build up a library of shows so when I feel like watching something, there it is, when I want and I can easily fast forward the adds. At the moment I have 100 hours of TV I've yet to watch and it's great if you feel like a CSI marathon (as I've got about 15 shows currently on the hard drive).

There is a device with a hard drive only that can record two stations at the same time and if the Panasonic could do that it would be bliss. If there are two must see shows on at the same time then I record it on the VCR and at the end of the week transfer it to the DVD recorder.

I have friends that must be home at certain times to watch certain shows, I'm my own TV producer... I watch what I want when I want

[bindi]

Yeah I am keeping an eye on the market to see what they come up with. Chase play (where it is still taping the end of the show while you watch the beginning) is a really good option.

Also I know there is a Panasonic which has a 160GB hard drive - brilliant.

And the option that you can edit the ads out of a movie you recorded off TV then burn it onto a disc? WONDERFUL

So when the price eases off a bit, I shall invest... I bought my first DVD player when a cheapie was $250, now they're $60 - my friend bought one when they were $1500 so he got ripped off lol

[Thunder Kiss]

SVO347, The two machines you should check out are the Panasonic DMRE85 or the Sony RDRHX900.

I tend to agree with most of the others with regards to the quality of the Panasonic, however the Sony is more flexible. The panasonic can only play and record onto DVD-R or DVD-RAM. The Sony plays/records onto DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW (the + and - are different formats, like VHS and Beta).

[Franky]

I'll probably wait a little longer until Blu-ray DVD's comes out but if you cannot wait the Panasonic is excellent and there's one around the same price from Hitatchi which is also pretty good. Only difference between DVD+RW and DVD-RW is that some recorders support both formats whilst some only support one or the other.

[LuvinmyEB]

The difference between DVD-R & DVD+R are just competing formats, like VHS and Beta. Although some recorders/players will only use one type, the majority use -R.
DVD-RW you can erase and use again, but again not all DVD recorders/players will play them.

This should help you a bit.

http://www.videohelp.com/dvd

[M14A-Mclaren]

VHS and Beta? I've never heard of Beta? only Beta I have heard is when a program is in testing.

[XplosiveR6]

Originally Posted by JADED6

R can be written once (recorded on 1 time ONLY) RW discs can be erased and re-used, much like a blank tape.
.

actually a dvd-/+r can be multi-sessioned, so you can write to it multiple times, but you just cant deleate the data, for example, you can record one show, one day, then the next you can recond another show on the same disk, but once the disk is full, then thats it.

[bindi]

Originally Posted by Ambrose_1

VHS and Beta? I've never heard of Beta? only Beta I have heard is when a program is in testing.

Ok age showing... when I was about to go to high school (Jan 1983) my folks bought a Beta video recorder. Now at that time it cost around $400 (expensive), and video shops only ever stocked Beta for hire.

Then along came VHS and in a matter of a few years Beta was all but extinct.

You know how you can only record on a VHS video a certain number of times before the tape packs it in? Well with Beta it took a damn lot longer for that to happen - it is still considered the better of the two and most news stations still use it to record their interviews and news items as it is much better in quality and reliability.

So it ended up that my parents paid $400 for a clock.

[Bossxr8]

Oh no, Beta. Snake from the Simpsons.

I always thought that VHS and Beta were released around the same time, but even though Beta was regarded as the better system, VHS outsold it because it was marketed better, which basically ended in the death of Beta.

[russellw]

BETA continued to find a market in commercial use for a number of years but in the consumer market it suffered at the hands of the better marketed VHS.

I'll endorse the Panasonic DMR recorders - I have the DMR E58H at about $760 wholesale and it's an excellent unit apart from the fact that very few DVD players will use DVD-RAM disks (not a major drama) and the absence of DVD-RW support (which is what DVD-RAM disks do anyway). Dual layer DVD-RAM isn't too badly priced if you shop around.

The other unit worth a look is the Pioneer DVR-520
This unit adds DVD-RW support and wholesales for a little less than the Panasonic one whilst offering similar capabilities.

With 150 odd hours of recording time to HDD (at VCR equivalent quality) and up to 8 hours on a DVD-R this has been a lifesaver and provides much better archival than VHS ever did while the RAM disks are handy for things I don't want to keep as they support up to 100,000 rewrites.

Cheers
Russ

[XR Martin]

Buy a USB TV reciever for your PC ($100-150)a 200gb HD ($180) and a DVD burner ($100) and youve got a DVD recorder for half the price.

[svo347]

So afterall this info.... Can you record from 2 separate channels at once? or can you record one channel & watch another station??
So far the Panasonic is in mind with the Pioneer running second.
Thanx peeps.

[Peuty]

Not sure, I can find that out for you tomorrow if you like.

[svo347]

Please mate would be much appreciated..
Cheers

[bindi]

What I want to know (hijacking the thread here) is when digital tvs are coming down in price. I don't want a top box. My dad's got one and he can't tape on one channel and watch another.

My idea is that digital tvs work like normal tvs, is this right?

[russellw]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Buy a USB TV reciever for your PC ($100-150)a 200gb HD ($180) and a DVD burner ($100) and youve got a DVD recorder for half the price.

Nice theory. I have an HD-TV tuner in my PC and a Pioneer A09 but simply got sick of the 3 hour time to render and burn the things to DVD.

Cheers
Russ

[russellw]

Originally Posted by svo347

So afterall this info.... Can you record from 2 separate channels at once? or can you record one channel & watch another station??
So far the Panasonic is in mind with the Pioneer running second.
Thanx peeps.

The Panasonic has an SD (I gather from the picture quality) tuner built in so it can be recording one thing while you watch almost anything else as can the Pioneer as long as the input is from another source such as a DSTB. Both also allow you to watch a DVD while recording to hard disk or even watch one program on a DVD while recording another to the same DVD.

Ignore the RRP on the Panasonic too - real world prices will see a couple of hundred less at least.

Cheers
Russ

[HQ2VY]

Originally Posted by Peuty

It also supports DVD RAM, which is basically a high capacity DVD cartridge which can withstand scratches etc. And on long play you can get 16 hours worth off one ram disk.

Alternativly, a DMR-E85H, which is basically the E55 with an 80GB HDD, would also be ideal, as the HDD eliminates the need for a storage medium. Of course the option to record to a disk is still there.

Yep i agree. I have the Panasonic DMR E85H and am very happy with it.